12 Best Scopes for 308 Rifle (Get these!! You won’t waste $5K like I did)

All said and done, .308 is one of my absolute favorite rifle cartridges. It is an excellent round for big game hunting and long range shots, both of which I enjoy doing.

As a dedicated .308 shooter, I have been through dozens of different scopes for my .308 rifles. Between my favorite long range hunting rifle and my AR-10, I have easily spent over $5000 on scopes alone!

Some of them didn’t hold a zero well, some weren’t durable enough, and some just were not that accurate on my weapons.

But, to save you the headache and protect you from losing money, I have put together this list of my favorite .308 scopes.

These 12 scopes represent the best that I have either bought or tested, and are all excellent options. They have been broken down by intended range, to make it easier for you to choose one.

There are over a hundred different 308 rifle scopes to choose from, and there are quite a few factors to keep in mind. The goal of this list is to save you both time and money by narrowing down the list of available scopes.

Ready to see some of these awesome products?

Buying Guide – Factors to Consider

When buying a scope for a .308 rifle, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Most of these factors can be derived from your uses for your weapon.

For example, if you are using the scope for hunting, you are going to want a more durable scope.

If you are doing long range competitive shooting, you may want some additional zoom.

Some of the factors to keep in mind are:

Accuracy. After all, this is the whole point of the scope. It needs to help you in shooting accurately.

Clarity. This ties in with accuracy. It should be easy for you to look down the scope. However, keep in mind that each person may see each scope differently.

Durability. Do you need to scope to be shockproof and waterproof?

Reliability. You want a scope that will hold a zero and consistently work every time you attempt to shoot.

Quality. All in all, you want a high quality scope. No one wants a scope that doesn’t consistently work for them.

Price. For most people, price is definitely something on their mind.

Best 308 Scopes for Short Range

Our first group of scopes are the ones that we have identified as best for shorter range shooting. Short range is somewhat relative, as short range with a .308 could be considered as far as 500 meters. These scopes generally have a 1-4x magnification range.

This scope from Bushnell is an extremely high quality scope available at a reasonable price. It performs well during the day and even better at night.

If you are planning on using this scope for target shooting, this may be the best sight for you, as it is extremely easy to fine tune for extremely precise shooting. Overall, this is a great quality scope that would excel in any role.

Let’s get into some of its features.

About Bushnell:

Bushnell specializes in optics, whether that be rifle scopes, golf scopes, or binoculars. Their catalog runs the gamut of all different types of high quality optics products. No matter what type of outdoor optic you may need, Bushnell has a product for you.

They were founded in 1948, and have prided themselves on making high end optics more affordable. Their optics were originally based on Japanese manufacturing, which allowed Bushnell to reduce the cost.

Through a series of changes of ownership, Bushnell is now headquartered in Kansas. They are well known for their high quality optics available at affordable prices. No matter what outdoors products you may need, Bushnell has something for you!

Illuminated Reticle – Increased Visibility

This scope has a first-pane illuminated bar reticle, which makes it easy to see during the day and at night. The reticle has 11 different settings, allowing you to customize how you see it.

The BTR-1 illuminated reticle allows for accurate holdovers out to 500 yards. This type of accuracy is why this scope is of the highest quality.

Target Turrets – 0.1 Mil Click Adjustments

To adjust this scope, you simply use the target turrets on the outer body of the scope. These turrets are extremely easy to use.

Each click of the turret represents a 0.1 mil adjustment. This allows for extremely precise adjustments, further increasing the accuracy of this sight. 0.1 mil click adjustments allow for peak precision.

Multicoated Optics – Increased Brightness

The optics of this scope are multicoated. While the science of this is a little confusing, what this means to you is that the scope allows for increased brightness. Multicoating the optics accepts more of the “good” light, while reflecting “bad” light, to increase the brightness of the scope as a whole.

Throw Down PCL – Quick Power Changes

This scope has the easiest power changing in the industry. The easy to use lever allows for very fast changes, if necessary.

Quality

Bushnell is known for their quality products. This one is no different.

Specifications:

Tube diameter

30mm

Magnification

1-4x

Field of view at 100yds

110Ft at 1x, 36Ft at 4x

Weight

17.3 ounces

Length

9.4 Inches

Eye relief

3.6Inches

Mounting length

5.9 inches

Click value

0.1 mil

Pros

Accuracy. Thanks to some of the aforementioned features, this is one of the most accurate sights on the market. BDC works excellently.

Ease of use. Extremely easy to adjust and use, thanks to the turrets and PCL.

Illuminated reticle. Easy to see, both day and night thanks to the multicoated optics.

Size. Compact scope.

Reliability. Bushnell products are reliable.

Affordability. Excellent quality for the price.

Cons

Short eye relief. Some will prefer a longer eye relief.

Durability is lacking.

Why Should You Buy This Product?

This scope is extremely accurate, reliable, and high quality. Overall, the accuracy is nearly unmatched, thanks to the 0.1 mil click adjustments of the turrets, paired with the multicoated optics with an illuminated reticle. While there are better options for hunting, in terms of pure accuracy, it does not get better than this sight.

This scope from Vortex is another high quality scope, although this one does cost slightly more than the previously mentioned scope. Similar to the last scope, the Crossfire II is extremely accurate, and is equally reliable.

This scope is the best choice for hunting, due to the fact that it is extremely durable. For general shooting, there are better, more accurate choices out there. However, for hunting, the quality and durability of this scope can’t be beat.

Let’s see some of the features of this scope.

About Vortex:

Vortex is a much newer brand than Bushnell, having been founded in 2002. However, similar to Bushnell, they make a wide variety of outdoors optics products. They are a relatively small company, and they are headquartered in Wisconsin.

They have become extremely popular for their rifle scopes, and they are well respected. Generally speaking, they are known as being high quality scopes. Most of their customers have positive interactions, and I have had no issues with their customer service.

Durability – Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof

This will give you peace of mind while hunting with this scope. It is made of aircraft-grade aluminum, is nitrogen purged, o-ring sealed, and has an anodized finish.

Increased Brightness – Ease of Use

Thanks to the multicoated optics, this scope offers plenty of brightness. It is easy to see down the scope, regardless of conditions.

Reliability – Lifetime Warranty

To go along with this durability, this scope is also extremely reliable. Vortex is a reputable brand, and they back this optic with a lifetime warranty.

Longer Eye Relief – More Comfortable Use

This scope has a longer eye relief than the Bushnell, which allows for more comfortable use. This is a key feature for hunting. The eyepiece is also extremely fast to focus, which allows for fast shots.

V-Plex Reticle – Great Hunting Reticle

Extremely easy to use hunting reticle.

Specifications:

Tube diameter

30mm

Magnification

1-4x

Field of view at 100yds

96.1-24.1 feet

Weight

14.8 ounces

Length

9.8 Inches

Eye relief

4 Inches

Pros

Durability. Most durable scope in its class. Great for hunting.

Reliability. Lifetime warranty backs your purchase for the long run.

Overall ease of use. Multicoated optics allow for plenty of brightness and the V-Plex reticle is a great all-purpose reticle. Longer eye relief is more comfortable to use. Turrets are easy to adjust.

Light weight. Excellent feature for a hunting scope.

Cons

​Limited field of view. Some users may find this more difficult to use.

Less precise. Each click is ½ MOA, so this scope is not nearly as precise as the Bushnell. However, for hunting, this is acceptable.